EnCana takes on a partner

Article Excerpt

ENCANA CORP. $20.16 (Toronto symbol ECA; Shares outstanding: 735.4 million; Market cap: $14.8 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Average; Dividend yield: 4.0%; www.encana.com) has agreed to sell 40% of its undeveloped Cutbank Ridge shale gas property in northeastern B.C. to Japan’s Mitsubishi Corp. Encana will receive $1.45 billion (Canadian) when the sale closes at the end of February 2012. Mitsubishi will also invest an additional $1.45 billion over the next five years to develop this property. To put these figures in context, Encana’s cash flow was $4.2 billion U.S., or $5.66 U.S. a share, in 2011. Adding a partner to help develop this field cuts Encana’s risk. Mitsubishi’s involvement will also help Encana open up new markets for its gas in Asia. Encana is a buy. buy…